Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-09-28

did yon come rromy How long are you In
for: and what's the racket" (meaning his
crime). Thon he is questioned as to events
In the outside world. His answers are
passed mp and kown the long line OF ia
bles, aud soon every convict IN the prison
hns bis pedigree" At $3.50 n. m. the
prison bell is sounded and all bands
make ready for their days work.
Breakfast is served in the cells, after which
they are marched to the workshop, where
they remain until "a. They then march
to their dinner, which is placed in pans,
aud return 10 the shop, where il Is eaten.
At six they enter the cells, and soon after
flights out" Is sounded. and they retire. A
certain amount OF work is laid out for each
man for the day. and three fourths of them
are able To finish il by two OF three o'clock
in tho afternoon. after which they may re-
turn 70 their cells for the balance of the
day. When marching to OF from meals or
the workshop. should n convict speak with
another, or chance to look at a visitor, he
Is either placed in the dark cell and given
gill III water and a small slice Of bread
daily, With a stone floor for a bed, or he is
taken 10 the guard-house and strung up
by tho wrists. One dose of the latter med
icine generally lasts the convict some
time. The punishment is one in which the
cAOhhNa - huh6 UP ny Tic NTlSIS ny a
strong catgut cord. BY his side stands
the prison doctor, who holds O watch
In his hand and keeps his eye on the
face of the convict. After hanging a min
ute the fingers turn black, and later the
prisoner loses consciousness and his hend
drops over on his breast. At the instant
hc is let down on the floor, a bucket of wa
tor is dashed in his face, aud upon his COM
ing TO he is taken hack to his cell 10 recover
bis strength. Hardly any prisoner, espe-
cially IL he is heavy person, can stand il
To DO hung up over two mnutss, and no
keeper will go on with the punishment un-
less the physician is standing by. About
/ the jullieSt convict la the prison Is ono who
Is now allowed the liberty of tending to
the big prison gate. The man has about
completed sentence of fifteen years, and
hns only about fifty days yet to serve.
There are times whom he could easily open
tho gate aud walk into the street, but that
would be of little benefit to him, as certain
capture would follow. A standing offer Of
City dollar is made by tho State for the re-
turn of an escaped convict, and tho
| Frenchmen who live in that locality al
ways keep a sharp eve on the prison walls
/ and surrounding country.
Emmett O'Neill, of Schenectady, is the
bookkeeping for tho Workshop, having
. huCIttAtfA new +iiDtEJ V oeueT. HIS
books are carefully kept and well sys-
tematized. d. J. Armitage, tho man con-
victed of setting fire to the Charlton Hotel,
has entered upon his penance of seven
| years. The communication in his case is two
| years and three months. ArmitaSe being
dcfOrmod to the extent that he has no use
of his less,and is compelled to walk with his
/ hands, in ench Of which he carries a small
| black, was the center Of all eyes on his
way 10 the prison, and after entering it.
II was a matter OF some speculation what
work would he assigned him, but il was
quickly settled 10y his being ordered to the
kitchen, where, for the balance Of his
torn, lie will peel potatoes, aud this is no
easy task. when it will he remembered
that there are over seven hundred mouths
20 feed. Every Saturday every convict is
allowed plug Of tobacco and
pound package OF smoking
tobacco. These plugs are used the same
as money, and il convict wants a favor
OF another convict he pays him in plug to-
baccO, and should his plug I've used up be-
fore the next one is due, lie can borrow of
his shop neighbor.
One convict Is here who Is the child Of
wealthy parents residing In New York
| City. Having committed a murder be re-
| ceived life sentence. The other week be
| received a visit from his two sisters, who
had not seen him for eleven years, and
who remained at Dannemora for nearly a
week, paying him n visit every day. The
man is still young, and has the same hopes,
as do all the convicts, that he will soon be
pardoned. His cell is covered with Brus-
sells carpet, and upon the wall hang ex-
pensive pictures, all with the object Of
making the unfortunate young man feel as
homelike as possible.